Information about the King Street Cultural Quarter in the heart of Norwich, Norfolk, England – Dragon Hall, The Waterfront, King's Centre and many other historical & cultural buildings, events and attractions.

The Wensum River Parkway Partnership (formed of the Norwich Society, Norwich HEART, Norwich City Council and the Broads Authority) is circulating a discussion paper to all interested parties in the City and beyond on how to improve use of and access to the River Wensum in Norwich.

The Partnership’s chairman Alec Hartley mentioned this paper at our recent Q&A session, and would be grateful for any practical comments and suggestions as to how to drive the project forward. His email address is c.hartley23@keme.co.uk

So 2013 has arrived and we’ve waved goodbye to 2012. Hope you had a wonderful festive season and ready for the year ahead.

Don’t worry, despite 2012 being an incredibly memorable year, there’s lots going on in 2013 so it should be a good year too.

Thank You – King Street Question Time

First things first, a huge thank you to everyone who attended the King Street Question Time and most of all a huge thank you to the brave soles who volunteered to make up the question time panel – Dr. Stephen Johnson, Tim Williams, Superintendent Paul Sanford, Philip Hardy, Lesley Grahame, Alec Hartley and Nick Bond.

There are notes at the bottom of this email of the King Street Question Time and the quick AGM that took place just before, in case you weren’t able to attend.

Events Committee Meeting
Wednesday 16th January

First event of the year, or should we say gathering, is the Events Committee Meeting. Anyone who is interested in helping us organise the King Street Cultural Quarter, please come along to Jurnets Bar at Wensum Lodge, King Street, Norwich for 6.30pm on Wednesday 16th January.

Don’t worry, by coming along you won’t have to get involved, but it’s a great chance to find out a little more about King Street Cultural Quarter and see whether you’d like to be involved.

King Street Winter Warmer
Tuesday 12th February

We’ll send out details shortly, but please put in your diary that all members of the King Street Cultural Quarter are invited to join us for a Winter Warmer on Tuesday 12th February.

King Street Cultural Weekend
Friday 31st May to Sunday 2nd June

The team are working on plans for the King Street Cultural Weekend. We’ll post lots of information on the website and social media shortly, plus posters etc will be distributed around the King Street area.The general idea of the event is to have a lot of smaller events all connecting together for that weekend, finishing with the Big Lunch on Sunday which was such a success last year.

If you are planning any events for that weekend and would like them included in the programme for the weekend, then please let us know. We are looking for anything cultural, from art exhibitions to concerts, demonstrations to food & drink events.

Logo suggestions for this event would be most welcome too.

King Street Question Time
November (Date to be confirmed)

After the success of 2012’s Question Time, we’ve decided to repeat the event. Suggestions of question time panel members would be welcome and we’ll be asking for questions nearer the event.

JB welcomed the members to the AGM, introduced the current post holders and outlined the various posts to be filled. He went on to give a round up of the past year for the King Street Cultural Quarter including the successful King Street Jubilee Celebrations and Big Lunch in June. Thanks were extended to all those who had taken part in the event. Plans for the King Street Cultural Weekend (31 May-3 June 2013) were expressed.

King Street Question TimeHeld on Wednesday 14 November 2012 at the King’s Centre

Panellists:

Lesley Grahame LG (Norwich City Councillor)

Nick Bond NB (Visit Norwich)

Tim Williams TW (Development Editor, Archant Anglia)

Dr Stephen Johnson SJ (Broads Authority)

Philip Hardy PH (Norfolk County Councillor)

Superintendent Paul Sandford PS (Norfolk Constabulary)

Alec Hartley AH (Norwich Society)

Jason Borthwick JB (King Street Cultural Quarter, Chair)

Background:

Members of the King Street Cultural Quarter, local residents and other interested parties were invited to submit questions to a panel at a Question Time event on the future of King Street.

Introductions:

The Chair, JB, gave a brief introduction to the event and the panellists went on to introduce themselves to the audience.

Question 1: Have we made the best use of the river?

SJ – River Wensum is part of the Norfolk Broads – ambitions to become a National Park in its own right. Norwich is the only city with a river as part of the National Park family. We don’t make the best use of our river – planning decisions have historically affected areas where there is no riverside access. Future benefits of the river could include boating, new punting scheme, leisure usage. Broads Authority planning department has control over the river itself but not the river bank which may be in the hands of several authorities or private ownership. Many opportunities for better use of the river, needs research into how people use the river and what the needs of the river itself are.

AH – discussion paper by the Wensum River Parkway Project “Bringing Life Back to the River” published earlier this year (2012). End of industrial usage led to development opportunities. Obstacles – complications in planning process, people often don’t know about the requirements for moorings, who has jurisdiction. The report recommends an integrated access policy, proper management, an ownership study, areas for houseboats, association of riverside businesses, need for integrated planning, consistent riverside walk, aim to complete the riverside walkway through the city. River becoming less navigable beyond the New Mills. Conflicts between environmental protection and navigation demands. People like living in Norwich because of assets such as the river, historic environment etc. Discussion paper available on Norwich Society website. Early 2013 – working party meeting to produce an integrated access strategy.

LG – King Street and Riverside residents’ associations should be consulted. King Street Cultural Weekend proposed theme of “Turning Our Faces to the River”. Ambition to make the river corridor inhabited.

TW – We don’t make enough use of the river. Needs to be developed in tandem with people and the environment. Should make the river the centre point of our city – Norwich Business Improvement group is promoting tourism, linking the city with visitors to the Broads. Planners must take responsibility for mistakes of the past – such as building the Riverside complex.

Question 2 – Who has the remit for providing river access and moorings for residential houseboats?

SJ – Many parties have claims on river and banks, City, County and District councils, Broads Authority, Environment Agency, private owners. No obligation to provide long term moorings for live-aboard boats. Free 24-hour moorings available in several places on the Broads – for leisure use not residential in most cases. No permanent moorings provided by Broads Authority – some spaces in private boatyards and marinas available. Permanent residential moorings need planning permission, proper servicing and facilities, emergency services access and waste disposal.

AH – There appears to be no codified requirement or official policy for zones of occupation along the river. Important that consideration is given for permanent moorings. Popular, safe and financially viable in other cities – properly serviced, self-policing sites. Access to river – issues in King Street area with developers (PJ Livesey) appealing against City Council’s decision to refuse retrospective planning permission to close off the access to the river at Read Mills.

Comments from the floor:

Central government has issued instructions to local planning authorities to make better use of rivers. What about providing moorings on the opposite side of King Street from ABC Wharf next to Wherryman’s Way path?

Only 3 or 4 designated mooring sites on the whole Broads network, nobody is encouraged to offer mooring for live-aboards. Need for management policy developed with input from river residents themselves, which provides services, infrastructure and the will to change, resulting in better quality of boats and discouraging illegal mooring.

Question about the overgrown old utilities site at the confluence of the Wensum and Yare backing on to Carey’s Meadow. Could be developed as alternative to Whitlingham country and water park. AH responded that plans to redevelop this site had fallen through about 3 years ago. Nobody is certain who has responsibility for planning over these dead sites, including St Anne’s Wharf, Targetfollow etc. Also disused marina on Thorpe Island.

SJ – Thorpe Island is a conservation area with a basin at its West end, with permission for 12 boats, owner currently has 20 boats, Broads Authority looking at potential action and private development.

LG – South City Centre report recommends a marina, access to the river along King Street. City Council officers are in discussions over possibilities at St Anne’s Wharf.

Question 3 – Do the panel support the Rose Lane Community Garden and more green spaces in the area generally?

Update on draft lease agreed for Rose Lane Community Garden with Norwich City Council.

NB – Green Spaces make a contribution to Norwich’s offer to visitors and tourists.

AH – Need for benches and stopping places in open areas like community gardens and riverside walks.

PH – important to make best use of space in the city – residents need asking for views – mechanism for ideas to travel.

Comments from the floor:

Residents are fed up with developers and property owners sitting on derelict land, non-owners have no ability to change the situation, example of areas near Dragon Hall – looks unsightly with litter and vandalism. We need green lungs in the city centre, more allotments.

PH – Recommends Community Gardeners get in touch with Norwich in Bloom and the Grapes Hill Community Garden which recently won an award.

Question 4 – What is happening with the derelict brewery site at St Anne’s Wharf and Howard House?

PH – We need to sort out derelict sites in King Street area. Norfolk County Council has an ongoing bid for St Anne’s Wharf site.

AH – Brewery site has been vacant for 20 years, 3 different failed plans, site was divided up and all three parts went bust. Existing planning consents are valuable assets in their own right to the administrators. Debacle over Howard House – Grade 2* listed building on the Buildings At Risk Register for many years, the sole remaining house in Norwich with connection to the Dukes of Norfolk, historically and architecturally important. Norwich Preservation Trust has been talking to administrators about taking over Howard House – plans, finance, English Heritage grant all in place – project now on hold – sticking point was expansion of curtilage to provide garden and parking space affecting the existing planning permissions. City Council refuses to issue preservation orders or compulsory purchase.

Question 5 – Why have there been problems with tree planting schemes in the area?

A DEFRA grant-funded project to plant trees in hard surface areas along King Street was blocked due to objections from CCTV operators and City Council.

PS – The Police have had issues with trees on Prince of Wales Road and Bank Plain obscuring CCTV coverage which may have influenced the decision for King Street. Need for long term maintenance to trim back trees.

TW – the issue is whether we value trees or CCTV?

LG – need for joined up thinking, joint planning meetings.

AH – maintenance costs – City Council is not able to take on any new costs incurred by such schemes.

JB – Section 106 agreements cover costs of long term maintenance.

Comments from the floor:

Trees are mostly outside the Waterfront venue, where there’s greatest need for cameras. How many crimes have been solved in this area by CCTV footage?

Residents at top end of street would prefer trees to cars outside their properties.

City Council is always blamed – but where is the breakdown in communication?

Neighbourhood action plan – can include issues such as car parking, tree planting, derelict sites. Action can be made by a Neighbourhood Forum – 21 residents of the area can draw up the action plan, doesn’t have to go through Council if supported by neighbourhood. Document can become part of official policy, the Local Plan for the area.

LG – Neighbourhood plans must comply with existing Local Plan, can influence planning criteria. Great degree of agreement in response to South City area consultation.

Question 6 – What is the plan to provide more low cost social housing in the area?

LG – united view that derelict land could be used for housing – South City consultation is looking for funding to develop derelict areas, certain proportion has to be social housing.

TW –Norwich City Council requires a higher percentage of social housing than elsewhere – developers dislike social housing and this can affect success of new projects.

Quality of housing – private developments are not well built – people in social housing deserve a good quality of life and housing, recent attempts have no gardens, no balconies, not integrated well into development – ghettoization. Plea for higher spec new builds.

Music House Lane site – flagship housing plans have come to nothing.

Planners can demand a certain spec for new housing.

Any Other Business?

PS – news on changes to the Licensing Act – 24 hour drinking, pubs and clubs near King Street are open longer and later. New rules – Early morning restriction orders can be requested, give last time for serving alcohol. Police are presenting to the council on 27 November, public consultation – revised last orders in city: 3am Sunday-Thursday and 3-4am on Fridays and Saturdays. Aim to reduce noise and disorder in the area.

Mid November sees the 1st birthday of the King Street Cultural Quarter. We need to hold an AGM, so thought we’d make something worthwhile out of it.

We’ve invited representatives from Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council, Police, Broads Authority, VisitNorwich, Norwich Society and the Evening News to form a panel for a King Street Question Time, an hour of questions about the local area.

The website is up and running and we’d love you to add your events to it.

You can add virtually any type of event, from Walking Tours to Art Exhibitions, from Workshops to Karate Classes.

To add events, click on the ‘Click here to add Events’,
which appears on every page on the website, just under the Logo.

You’ll need to register first if you aren’t already registered on the website
(separate to membership).

WINTER WARMERMid February

King Street Cultural Quarter plan to arrange three events each year.

The November Question Time is one, the Cultural Weekend is the second and the third is the Winter Warmer.

This event will happen in mid February, for Cultural Quarter members.

The idea is for neighbours and businesses to meet each other and warm up this cooler time of the year.

We’ll let all the Cultural Quarter members know details in early January and post details on the website: www.kingst.co.uk

SOUTH CITY CENTRE DEVELOPMENT STUDY

The consultants are working on the draft proposals at the moment, having had huge amounts of representation and input from both local residents and businesses.

They will shortly be announcing an exhibition to set out the proposals. That exhibition is likely to happen in early November, please watch the website for dates. They will contact people directly with details, if you’ve given them your contact information.

We need someone creative to design the logo for the King Street Cultural Weekend.

We’d like to formally launch the event and the new logo in January, so please get creative and send us your designs for the logo.

You can either email your design to Jason Borthwick, chair@kingst.co.uk
or drop them into Unit 7c, ABC Wharf.

If you are dropping them in, please don’t put them on anything bigger than
A4, so that we can scan them to use them on the website and social media.

LET US KNOW YOUR NEWS

Do you have news that you’d like to share with everyone?

Well we would love you to submit your news and press releases to the website – www.kingst.co.uk

You can do this very easily. Contact Jason, the Cultural Quarter Chair (chair@kingst.co.uk)
and he will add you as an Author for the website and you’ll be able to add your
news as and when you need to.

Happy New Year to everyone in the King Street Cultural Quarter. Hope you had
a good festive season and that 2012 has started well for you.

We thought it would be useful to send you an update on how the King Street
Cultural Quarter is progressing, let you know ways you can be involved and get
your thoughts on ideas.

WALKING SIGNAGE

There are plans for new walking signs along King Street and the Riverside, to
link our part of the City to the walking signage elsewhere in the City centre.

Signs around the City, including the Station, will signpost walkers to King
Street. Once walkers are in King Street places like Dragon Hall, St
Julian’s and the walking bridges will be signed.

We’ll let you know when the signs are likely to be installed.

Thank you to Kieran Yates from Norwich City Council who came along to go
through the walking signage plans. The new signs are funded from the Lady
Julian Bridge project.

SECRETARIAL SUPPORT

A big thank you to Natasha and Brenda, without them the Cultural Quarter wouldn’t have existed. They’ve been carrying out the organisational & secretarial side of the King Street Cultural Quarter, but sadly their contracts at Dragon Hall will finish in March. We wish them luck with new projects.

As such we need to find someone to help with the membership management. Perhaps you have some spare staff time or know someone who would like some part-time secretarial work.

Please get in touch with Jason, the Cultural Quarter Chair (chair@kingst.co.uk), and we can look at ways to fund a part-time position.

MEMBERSHIP

The development of the King Street Cultural Quarter is all about the members of the Quarter. The more people who join, the better the representation and chance of carrying out projects.

If you haven’t already filled in the membership form online, please do. Membership is FREE, whether you are an individual or an organisation.

The more members, the more chance of funding, so please pass this onto your next door neighbours, your work colleagues and anyone else you think may be interested in the King Street Cultural Quarter!

KING STREET FESTIVAL & OTHER EVENTS

The events committee have been looking at event possibilities for the Cultural Quarter.

Originally there was a suggestion that the King Street Festival should be started again. Whether that is wanted by the community will become clear over time, but there is definitely support for community events.

Events will only happen with good support, so if you can help please volunteer to be on the committee or to help out at events. Email: membership@kingst.co.uk

COMMITTEES – HELP PLEASE

The King Street Cultural Quarter will only be as good as the people involved.

At the moment there is the main committee, which has gained the name of the Executive Committee, but this seems a little formal. Suggestions of a less formal name would be great.

There is also a sub committee which is concentrating on the Events, including some form of street celebration.

There have been suggestions of a residents association, which seems sensible. They could then discuss specific residents issues and report back to the main committee with recommendations and potential projects.

It’s clear that none of the committees will succeed without committed members and a strong chair. We still need a chair for the events committee and if the residents committee is to go ahead then we need a chair for that too. Volunteers please contact:membership@kingst.co.uk

BUSINESS LISTINGS

The King Street Cultural Quarter won’t work without business support. So we’d like to list all the organisations in the Cultural Quarter on the website: www.kingst.co.uk

We’ll then email you and request a logo, a couple photos and some blurb about your business, so we can get you listed on the website.

While the Cultural Quarter is developing this will be Free, so get in early!

Businesses would be very welcome on committees, so please do get involved – The Events committee and Executive definitely would like your input!

FUNDRAISING

Any suggestions of places we can find funding?

The immediate need is to pay for some regular secretarial work to hold together the Cultural Quarter.

There will be funding needed for events and the projects that the members want to see happening.

If you know of funding pots or would like to sponsor the work of the Cultural Quarter, then please contact Jason, the Cultural Quarter Chair (chair@kingst.co.uk)

PROMOTE YOUR EVENTS

The website is up and running and we’d love you to add your events to it.

You can add virtually any type of event, from Walking Tours to Art Exhibitions, from Workshops to Karate Classes.

To add events, click on the ‘Click here to add Events’, which appears on every page on the website, just under the Logo.

You’ll need to register first if you aren’t already registered on the website (separate to membership).

LET US KNOW YOUR NEWS

Do you have news that you’d like to share with everyone?

Well we would love you to submit your news and press releases to the website – www.kingst.co.uk

You can do this very easily. Contact Jason, the Cultural Quarter Chair (chair@kingst.co.uk) and he will add you as an Author for the website and you’ll be able to add your news as and when you need to.

Get posting, so that everyone knows what your organisation is up to!

TELL PEOPLE YOU’RE IN THE CULTURAL QUARTER

This is an appeal to everyone who is in the King Street Cultural Quarter.

Please Please Please tell people about the Cultural Quarter!

As the members, you are the best advertisers and can do it very easily. Here are some suggestions:

– Link to www.kingst.co.uk from your website, preferably with the Cultural Quarter logo!

– Forward this Update to everyone you can think of!

– Mention that you are in the King Street Cultural Quarter on websites, leaflets, promotion material and all that sort of stuff!